When swinging flies for salmon and steelhead, we talk a lot about the importance of ‘fly profile,’ the broadside silhouette the fly takes on while in the water. Many fly tyers go to great lengths trying to achieve the desired profile, and it is this idea that has stemmed many modern steelhead and salmon patterns….
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Tips
Swing is King
Swing is king. Long casts, and big mends, swinging is a technique that we not only appreciate here in Alaska West and Rapids Camp, but it is a method we enjoy. D loops, ripping the line off the water resulting in long, bombing casts then having faith that while the fly is going down and…
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10 Tips to Wade Safely
As fly fishing anglers, wherever you fish, you’re probably moving and at some point have to wade in the water you’re fishing. You move up, down, and across streams to find and access to the holes, sloughs, and seams that hold fish. With constant movement, it is inevitable you encounter a variety of currents, depth,…
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Why Knot
Ask 5 angling professionals which 5 knots are most important, and you may very well get 25 answers. In our humble opinion, here are the 5 knots you need to know for fly fishing, in priority order. Non-Slip Mono Loop. For attaching any sub-surface fly to your leader, this is our go-to knot. It’s extremely…
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Rainbow Trout Fishing – Mend Less.
It’s summer, so I have to eat. Photo: Cameron Miller There are trout streams out there where highly educated trout demand perfect presentation. Long, light tippets are key. Pure, drag-free drift is essential, and if your fourth mend falls 3 inches left of where it should have, that fish is not going to eat. The…
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Fly Tying: String Leech
Traditionally the String Leech is a great fall and winter, steelhead pattern that is optimal for swinging with heavier tips. This past summer at Rapids Camp on the Naknek River the String Leech was very effective in hooking up with rainbow trout and that is the reason why we are featuring it now. With great…
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Deneki Chronicles: Secrets of the Flesh Fly
Sometimes all it takes is a little flesh. Photo: Ramsey Smith Trout that live in the lower sections of rivers like the Kanektok and the Arolik in Western Alaska get a lot of their calories from salmon flesh. That means that at Alaska West we spend a lot of time tying and fishing patterns that…
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Timeless Tips: Bonefishing in Windy Conditions*
When fishing for bonefish, rarely can you expect a day entirely free of wind. In fact, most experienced flats anglers would agree that those completely calm days can be extremely challenging due to spooky fish. While a light wind can be your friend on the flats, there are times when it can be a little…
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2020/21 Andros South Bonefish Schools
Once again we are pleased to offer two bonefish schools at Andros South Lodge during the 2020/21 season. This coming season there will be two week long schools to help anglers of all abilities enhance their understanding and skill of saltwater flats fishing. Our Fall school in November will be hosted by Jeremy Inman. Jeremy is a…
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Trout Spey in Alaska? Sure, why not?
Fishing with Spey rods is fun, anyone who likes to cast double-hand rods would agree. Since the introduction of modern Spey rod fishing, the technique and gear have evolved and gotten better over time. As part of this evolution, Switch rods were introduced in the early 2000s to blend single-hand casting and two hand casts…
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